Note: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, author alerts, story alerts, etc! I greatly appreciate it even if I haven't been able to respond to you all individually. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I believe many of your questions will be answered at some point throughout the story. Thanks again for the support! -naz

Part Two

"Jack, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Sam asked as she took the coffee mug he passed her and sat with him at the kitchen table.

He pulled a hand through his hair and heaved out a breath, shaking his head. "I dunno… The first time I wasn't entirely sure I hadn't dreamed it." Jack slid his mug back and forth between his hands. "After that I just—I dunno, I was…"

"Scared?" Sam offered, and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Jack, it's fine. No one expects you to be the big bad Colonel who isn't afraid of anything all the time. You're only human."

His jaw clenched and he scowled. "Am I?"

She sighed, reached for his hand. "Jack."

Shaking his head, he growled under his breath, waving a hand in the air. "Yeah, yeah, I know. The self-pity thing doesn't suit me."

Sam smiled lovingly at him and was pleased to see his lips turn up into a little lopsided grin. "No, it doesn't." She tugged on his hand. "We have to talk to Janet and General Hammond about this."

Jack grimaced, looking stressed. "Yeah."

She knew he was freaked at the thought of anyone outside the SGC finding out about this, the possibility of being locked up forever. Sam wouldn't let that happen, and was certain that General Hammond and Janet would do whatever was in their power not to let it happen either.

.

Sam jumped up in surprise when Daniel burst into her lab, nearly dropping the papers she'd been trying to gather into a folder.

"Sam! There you are!" Daniel exclaimed, sounding rather relieved. His brows furrowed. "You're awfully late today." He tilted his head suspiciously. "You're never late. Are you okay? Is something wrong? Did you and Jack have a fight?"

"No. I'm fine. Everything's…fine, it's just—" She handed him the folder before he could cut her off. "Here's my completed lab report on the plant if you want to add your notes to it before we turn it in to the General." Sam quickly scooted by him and made for the door. "I have to meet Jack in the infirmary."

Daniel hurried after her. "Wait—what? What happened? Is he okay?"

Sam bit her lower lip but continued walking as Daniel kept up with her. She hadn't meant to tell him that, because without any further information he'd no doubt be worried. But she was sure after all was said and done, General Hammond would have a briefing to inform all of SG-1 and Sam really didn't want to have to hear Daniel's spitfire theories more than once. "He's—he's fine Daniel." That may have been a slight understatement. "I'll explain later, okay? I really need to go."

Daniel came to a stop as they reached the elevator and she hurriedly swiped her card. He stood looking a little confused and lost as she got into the car. "Um…alright, I guess."

"Sorry," Sam told him as the doors closed, the elevator descending to Level 21.

.

"That's…interesting," Daniel uttered when Sam finished speaking.

Sam, Janet, and General Hammond had taken over the briefing, and Jack was just glad that he hadn't had to say anything. He really didn't know quite how to explain the circumstances himself.

"Do we have permission to visit the planet again, sir?" Daniel wanted to know, addressing Hammond. "The tribe's spiritual leader expressed that we were welcome to come back any time."

The General looked at Jack and then nodded. "You do. Maybe they can make sense of all this for us, and do something about it. Colonel O'Neill?"

Clearing his throat, Jack lifted his head. "Sir?"

"Your team leaves at oh-nine-hundred tomorrow morning. I'd like you to stay on base until then."

Jack clenched his jaw to keep from muttering something under his breath. He sighed and then nodded, feeling Sam's boot nudge his under the table, supportively. "Yessir."

"Dismissed."

Jack unhappily retreated to his quarters later that evening, preparing to turn in for the night. He wasn't happy with the situation, and feared it may be a sign of what was to come. Would he ever be allowed off base again, or would he be deemed a security risk if he couldn't get a handle on this thing?

The knock on his door as he was unbuttoning his BDU jacket surprised him. He growled lowly under his breath, thinking it better not be Daniel wanting to talk. Opening the door, he was pleased to discover Sam standing there, and managed a lopsided grin. "Carter."

She smiled back slyly. "Colonel."

Jack stuck his head out into the hall, made sure no one was around, then waved her in and closed the door. He rose an eyebrow when he noticed the clothes she had folded under one arm.

Sam shrugged. "I didn't want you to be alone…in case it happened again."

Jack smiled, but a part of him was saying that they shouldn't be doing this. The circumstances which allowed he and Sam to fraternize without reprimand prevented them from openly flaunting their relationship on base. They could be friendly, use their given names if they chose to, occasionally touch in a casual manner, but were restricted from kissing, hugging, and especially sharing base quarters. Everyone wanted their relationship kept bellow radar as long as they chose to stay on SG-1 together.

He sighed. "Sam, you know we're not allowed—"

"I know." Sam moved closer to him and took his hands into hers. She smiled warmly. "But Janet actually suggested to the General that someone keep an eye on you tonight, and Hammond agreed. He even agreed that it should be me."

Jack grinned, his arms snaking around her waist. He tilted his head, leaning back to give her a slightly-suspicious look. "Really?"

She nodded, standing up on her toes a little to peck his lips. "Yup."

"Sweet."

While Sam slipped into his private bathroom (perks of being a senior officer), Jack finished undressing, stripping down to his boxers and putting on a clean t-shirt before pulling back the blankets on his cot.

Sam came out in green pinstriped sleep pants and a matching green camisole top. She sauntered across the small room and they crawled onto the tiny cot together, Jack reaching to turn off the light on the nightstand before settling down. She spooned up behind him, reaching an arm over him so their hands met on his stomach.

Jack breathed out, feeling calm and relaxed, Sam's warm, soothing breath on the back of his neck. "Do you think they'll have answers for me?" he wondered aloud softly, though he knew Sam wasn't asleep yet.

"I think so," Sam said thoughtfully after a moment, then added, "But answers don't necessarily mean a solution."

He sucked in a tentative breath, swallowed thickly. "I'm worried about that."

"It doesn't matter to me if you change into the wolf sometimes," Sam told him confidently.

Jack didn't know why, but the thought that she would stay with him no matter what made things slightly less disconcerting. "You mean you don't mind lying down with dogs?" he half-teased, trying to ease away any remaining worry.

Sam laughed softly into his shoulder. "Only if it's you."

He chuckled, turning over onto his back so she could lie against his chest and he could put his arm around her. As she sighed contently into his chest, Jack closed his eyes, feeling like he could sleep.

.